Currently, artificial islands are an expensive but in some cases lucrative option for many cities having lack-of-land problems (such as Tokyo’s Odaiba and Fukuoka’s island city project.) In the future they may be common sights as many cities (especially Asian cities) around the world face severe urban land shortages and congestion. Eventually, this may make man-made islands a logical option.
Panama is not short of land, but is jumping in the bandwagon of artificial islands as it leaps forward in mega-building projects. Ocean Reef Islands—a Grupo Los Pueblos project—will create two artificial islands of almost 200,000 square meters of landfill for a luxury home development off the Pacific Coast of Panama City, Panama.
Located off Punta Pacifica, home to several new tower projects, the islands will be connected by two 160-meter bridges. The building enterprise is currently underway. How successful it will be, remains to be seen.
Panamanian President, Ricardo Martinelli, recently commented that the artificial island endeavor would “promote a business environment that will induce other entrepreneurs to develop further investments which would portray Panama as a modern country with First World infrastructure.”
On an oppressive overcast humid Sunday morning under cobalt skies, I took a shot at the construction of these two artificial islands. Even though it was a Sunday, it was business as usual. I tried to extend the zoom of my camera to the maximum, but couldn’t get near enough. That’s why you see the operation at a considerable distance. Anyway, with a little bit of imagination, you will know what is going on the Pacific Coast just off Punta Pacífica. Take a look.
Snapshot of the construction of two artificial islands near Punta Pacífica in Panama City, Panama. The project is called Ocean Reef Islands and is raising a few eyebrows in this small tropical country. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
